HalfBreed
by Moonlight Shadow4
Summary: One-Shot. How Inuyasha learned what a half-breed really is.


_Disclaimer_: I don't own Inuyasha…and probably never will.

A/N: A different style than I normally write with, but it just struck me this way….

_Half-Breed_

"Look at him—he's such a little freak."

"I don't know why he has to stay here."

_Why are they treating me this way? What have I done wrong?_

"Ugh, he's so repulsive."

"Can you truly believe Lady Izayoi would name her child such a thing?"

"At least it tells what he really is."

_What's wrong with my name? Mother said to wear it with pride. She said that's what Papa wanted to name me. Inuyasha…that's my name. What's wrong with my name?_

"His dog ears are so disgusting."

"I would have killed myself if _I'd_ birthed such a hideous beast!"

_Mother never said I was hideous. She said I was her handsome little boy._

"He's got some nerve, coming to the temple to pray."

"Someone should exorcise this little devil!"

"He's far worse than a devil—he's a hanyou. A stinking half-breed."

_I asked you once before, Mother, what a half-breed was. You started crying. Mother. But they say these things about me and about you. About Papa, too. You said to always be nice and kind and fair. _

"He's pretending he can't hear us! That little brat!"

_I can hear them, Mother. They're all very loud. I can hear their sandals making clip-clop noises on the temple's stone steps. I don't like it, Mother. It hurts my ears._

"I'd move him, but I don't want everyone to know that I touched _his_ forsaken kind."

_My kind…? Mother, what do they mean? What is my 'kind'? I have been nice to everyone, just like you told me, Mother. I tried to help a girl pick up her doll, but her mother pulled her away, and told me to stay away. That I was a curse upon the village. The Buddhist monks don't seem to mind touching me, but they hurt me, Mother, when they grab me by my arms and throw me into the river where you and I used to play. Mother, aren't you my kind?_

"You stinking half-breed bastard! You're the reason Lady Izayoi fell from grace! TAKE THIS!"

_Mother! Mother! It hurts, Mother! One of the villagers kicked me while I was talking to you, Mother. I won't get mad, and I will be a good boy and I will move when I'm finished talking to you. I can smell the incense. I think it's almost gone… Oh, Mother, my side really hurts now because the man kicked me again._

"Look at him! He just sits there on his knees as if in prayer! A half-breed has no favor with the gods! You hear me you little monster?!"

_I'm almost finished, Mother. They don't like me being here, and I think that I should go. But I'll try and come back whenever I can, I swear it, Mother, I will. I'll become honorable and good, just like you always said. Whatever they say about me…it hurts, but I can stand it._

"His mother was more of a whore than a lady. It's not a wonder she died so young. The gods punished her for her treachery to her kind!"

"I'll bet she's burning in Hell right now."

"We should probably scatter her ashes over the water so we don't incur a curse."

_No…. That's not true… NO…._

"Oh, look, the half-breed's gettin' up."

He pushed one against the ground to help himself stand. Inuyasha swayed slightly as his innocent eyes opened and he turned to face the crowd. Villagers of all ages were ringed around him, including servants and samurais. Each whispered feverishly, scowling darkly upon the young boy who barely came to mid-thigh.

Inuyasha watched them as the sky flared to a myriad of molten colors.

"Let's get those ashes now," one man said to the other as he started for the boy, the urn resting on the stone slab behind the child.

Inuyasha ran and snatched the urn in his hand; the ashes were still warm in their bone container. "No, you won't take them!"

"Shut up, brat!"

"NO!" He swiped at the man's hands as they grew too close. Blood sprayed as the small half-demon drew his claws away.

The man screamed. "That little bastard! That fucking half-demon!"

A pair of samurai came closer to Inuyasha. "Be careful," one said to the other, "this boy's a savage beast, and obviously could be a problem, even with those weak claws."

Clutching the urn closer, Inuyasha tried to dart away. "No! Stay away from me!" his small voice cried. He shrieked as a sword clipped his shoulder and he tucked his mother's remains close to himself as he rolled away. He leapt to his feet, hearing the blood-lusting cries of the villagers as he scampered down the temple steps, tears streaming over his cheeks. "Make them go away, Mother… Please make them go away…" he whispered.

A foot darted out before him, and Inuyasha tumbled. A gasp escaped his throat and his eyes widened in horror, as the urn flew from his grasp and smashed on the temple steps. Wisps of gray ash floated on the slight wind. "N-no…M-Mother…no…." He turned his head as another man laughed. It was a Buddhist monk, the one who had tripped him. Inuyasha got to his feet again, sniffling and wiping away the dirt that mingled with his tears and stuck to his face.

The sounds of the other villagers reached his keen dog ears, but Inuyasha couldn't move.

"A befitting end, don't you think?" one woman asked.

"Absolutely," agreed an old man.

"Maybe now this half-breed will finally leave," spoke another male voice. "He can finally be gone. Thanks to the monk who smashed the urn. You did a good thing."

The distinct sound of a blade being drawn echoed over the throng, hushing them. "We should just kill him and make the world a purer place."

Inuyasha heard the man coming, but he didn't move.

He pushed more tears away as the footfalls grew closer. _My mother…they…they scattered her remains… I…_

_I'm all alone…_

"Got you now, half-breed. I'll be merciful and kill you quickly."

The katana sliced the air, but Inuyasha dodged out of the way, and the blade hit the stone with a sound crack. "No!" _Is this what it means to be a half-breed? To be called hideous and disgusting? To be called a curse on everyone I meet? Is this who I am…?_ The breeze picked up, and young Inuyasha suddenly felt different. His heart felt tight and hard in his chest, and his eyes grew hot, and his soul flared with scarlet anger. "You killed my mother… You destroyed her remains…" he said quietly, in a voice too bold, too serious for such a young child. "None of you deserve to live."

"What are you saying?!" The man swung his blade at Inuyasha again; the child leapt past him and raked his claws over his face. He landed, panting as the man dropped his sword with a cry.

"One day," he vowed, "I will come back here—and all of you will regret it." Inuyasha took in silent delight at the aghast faces that his hate-filled eyes saw. _They are scared of me now…wait until I become stronger. I will make sure they fear. The name Inuyasha will strike all who hear it with dread. _"I will grow up to be the most terrible demon any of you will ever see. Then you'll see. Then you'll see who is so repulsive and worthless."

Inuyasha took a few steps backwards before leaping off the high edge of the temple. He felt invigorated and frightened, but when he hit the ground, he knew: _If they don't want me, if there's no place for me…I'll make one._

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A/N: I guess I was thinking about Inuyasha's flashbacks in the episodes where he obtains Tetsusaiga. It always made me sad. This idea kind of struck me this morning. Another note, I just watched the first Inuyasha movie, and I LOVED it. It was awesome.

Moonlight Shadow


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